We believe that Black Lives Matter. We have been filled with sadness and anger watching the series of disturbing and tragic events that have recently taken place in Black communities across the country – including the deaths of George Floyd, Breonna Taylor and Ahmaud Arbery – and the fact that this has been a reality for far too long.
Systemic racism continues to plague the United States. It is up to all of us to come together, acknowledge the problems and educate ourselves so that we can become part of the solution.
Though we can never completely understand the adversities and fears felt by our Black communities, we are committed to listening and learning during this time. Here are some resources we’ve found helpful as we discuss as a team what actions we want to take as a group as well as individually.
Black-owned businesses and causes to support in Denver:
- 303 Magazine: “325+ Black Owned Businesses to Support in and Around Denver”
- Colorado Black Chamber of Commerce: Member Directory
- Juneteenth Virtual Music Festival: June 18, 2020
- Colorado Black Arts Festival: July 10, 11 and 12
Informative books to start reading:
- “White Fragility” by Robin DiAngelo
- “The New Jim Crow: Mass Incarceration In The Age of Colorblindness” by Michelle Alexander
- “So You Want to Talk About Race” by Ijeoma Oluo
Podcasts to listen to:
- “1619” by NYT
- “The Nod” by Gimlet
- “Code Switch” by NPR
Documentaries worth watching:
- “13th” by Ava DuVernay
- “The Hate U Give” by George Tillman Jr.
- “When They See Us” by Ava DuVernay
Ways to donate your time and money:
- Donate to the Denver chapter of Black Lives Matter.
- Volunteer to help with clean-up efforts in Denver. Signing up for the Downtown Denver Partnership’s newsletter is a good way to stay updated on upcoming opportunities.
- Donate to these Black-owned businesses, many of which were destroyed during the riots.
- Helping Hand is a campaign started by Access PR to support Black-owned businesses affected by COVID-19 and recent looting from protests.
- Support the Black-owned businesses in Minnesota affected by riots and COVID-19.
- Donate to this list of small businesses and community effort programs that are asking for donations.
These lists are by no means exhaustive, and we know that eradicating racism in all its forms will require persistence and long-term action. Please reach out to us if you have any suggestions for ways we can strengthen our support.